In the second section of Chapter 11, Dillard stays almost exclusively focused on one topic, seldom straying. Why do you think she is staying so focused?

The change from a continuous progression of ideas, tenuously connected, to actually spending an entire section on one subject may be an intentional change in style. Dillard may be changing her style in order to counterbalance the effusiveness of the natural world which, at times, seems to overwhelm her. Secondly, in discussing muskrats in such depth, Dillard may be intentionally, or unintentionally, implying that despite the fecundity of nature, every separate species is important and worth focused attention.